


A Quiet Meeting Place

by that_one_kid



Category: NCIS
Genre: Abby was always kind, Canonical Character Death, Canonically Hard-of-Hearing character, Gen, Gibbs is good with kids, Timeline Shenanigans, and also a nerd, because why not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-10 21:56:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20535242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/that_one_kid/pseuds/that_one_kid
Summary: Gibbs visits the graveyard a lot, looking for closure, for hope, for... he doesn't know what. But he certainly didn't expect to find Abby.





	A Quiet Meeting Place

**Author's Note:**

> Kid!Abby is surprisingly easy to write for. Who knew?
> 
> NOTE: I am new to writing signing characters, and not fluent in ASL. I have done my best to represent it in a respectful way, but if I cause any offense, I apologize. 
> 
> See end of fic for trigger warnings

Gibbs was kneeling in front of the gravestones when he heard it. A young girl, near Kelly’s age, laughing just a few feet behind him. His eyes flew open and he stood and spun around in a single motion, hands out and expression wild. The girl walking past jumped back, her hands coming up appeasingly. She was older than Kelly would have been, Gibbs thought, his hopes crashing back down as fast as they’d come up. She was 7, maybe 8. Her long black hair was tied back in pigtails and there was mud all over her battered overalls. 

“I’m sorry!” she cried immediately, her face twisting in sympathy. “I didn’t know anyone else was over here!” 

“You’re okay,” Gibbs said automatically. “You just startled me.” He peered closer at the girl. Her eyes were still wide, and her hands were white-knuckled where they were wrapped around a small stuffed hippo. “I’m Leroy,” he said eventually. “Leroy Jethro Gibbs.” The girl wrinkled her nose.

“_That’s_ your name?” she asked. 

“Yup,” Gibbs confirmed, and she laughed. Now that he knew who it was, the laughter was less painful. “Oh, you think that’s funny?” He put on a mock-offended face and she giggled again before quickly schooling her face into a neutral expression. 

“Of course not, Mr. Gibbs,” she said, all innocence. He raised an eyebrow at her. She raised an eyebrow back at him. Gibbs was suitably impressed.

“I’m Abby,” the girl declared, thrusting out her hand to shake. Gibbs shook it seriously. 

“Nice to meet you, Abby.” He looked around, but couldn’t spot any adults. “Are you lost?” 

“No,” Abby said, clambering up onto one of the raised graves near her. “I like graveyards. Did you know in New Orleans, where we used to live, all the graveyards had these?” She swung her heels into the side of the raised grave she was sitting on. “It’s to protect the bodies in them from the water in the ground.” Gibbs felt his expression twist a little at that, despite his best efforts, and he saw Abby’s eyes go wide. 

“I’m sorry!” she exclaimed again, jumping back down off the grave and running to his side. “Sometimes I say things before I think about what they mean for other people!” 

“Well,” Gibbs huffed, thinking back to his recent conversation with his CO. “I might sorta get that.” Abby threw herself at his legs, enclosing them in a tight hug. 

“I’m really, really, sorry I made you sad!” she shouted at his knees. Then she drew back and tilted her head up to consider his face thoughtfully. “Can I ask you another question that might make you sad? There’s a good reason.” Gibbs locked his best deadpan in place and crouched down next to her. 

“You can ask me any questions you want, Abby.” 

“If you’re a Gibbs, are you here for them?” she nodded her head at the gravestones behind him. “It’s just, they say Gibbs too. I saw them yesterday.” 

“Yeah, Abby,” Gibbs said, his voice a little thick. “I’m here for them.” He hesitated. “Why did you want to know?” Abby bit her lip. 

“You bring really pretty flowers,” she said, solemnly. “The best ones anywhere. I just thought you should know, since I bet they appreciate that you get them such nice flowers.” As Abby spoke, a woman came running over the hill behind Abby. When she saw the little girl, her tight expression relaxed. 

“Thank you,” Gibbs told Abby. “I think someone is here for you.” Abby rolled her eyes and turned around to face the woman. 

“I am okay, mom,” she signed, her hands flickering through the signs with ease. Then she went on, more signs that Gibbs didn’t recognize. The woman signed something back, and Abby blushed. 

“Mr. Gibbs,” she said, signing and speaking at the same time. “This is my mother. Mom, this is Mr. Gibbs.” The woman signed something to Abby, who looked chastised when she turned back to Gibbs. 

“My mom is apologizing for me bothering you. She says I’ve been told not to annoy people in the graveyard.” 

“No, it is okay,” Gibbs signed slowly, and Abby’s face lit up. “Sorry,” he continued out loud. “I don’t know very much sign. Can you please tell your mother that you weren’t bothering me at all? In fact, I appreciated your company.” Abby dutifully translated, and her mother gave her an approving look. She signed something back, smiling at Gibbs. Her expression was open and kind. 

“Mom wants to know if you want to have dinner with us tonight,” Abby said. “And she says thank you for your service and for looking after me for her.” She made a face at this last part, as if it was ludicrous that she would need looking after in a graveyard. 

“Would you mind if I came to dinner?” he asked Abby carefully. She translated his words as he spoke them, and then paused. She furrowed her small forehead in thought. 

“No. You’re cool. For a grown-up.” Abby’s mom smiled into her hand and Gibbs fought to keep his own expression neutral. 

“Thank you. I’ll try to live up to that,” he responded. Abby gave him a long, scrutinizing look, and then nodded. 

“You will.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warnings for: Canonical character death, canonical child character death, symptoms of grief


End file.
